Cell feed



H [d ff /fe Zier Aug- 29, 1933. F. G. WHEELER Er AL.

CELL FEED Filed April 1o, 1930 Patented Aug. 29, 1933 UNITED staresrivilNT OFFICE CELL FEED Application April 10, 1930. Serial No. 443,211

15 Claims.

Our invention has to do with cell-feeding devices and relates moreparticularly to a device for feeding brine, etc., into an electrolyticchlorine cell, although our invention may be adapted to a wide number ofother purposes.

In the electrolytic production of chlorine and in various otherprocesses of similar nature, it is highly desirable that the liquid befed into the cell so as to meet the following conditions: (1) That thelevel of the brine in the cell will be constantly maintained at apredetermined point; (2) that it may be seen at all times that the brineis feeding into the cell; (3) that the level of the liquid within thecell may be adjusted within a small variation, and (4) that the liquidmay be so fed that a current of electricity cannot follow theconcentrated brine from the feeding source into the cell, even when thecell is so located in a series of cells that the voltage between thebrine supply and the cell itself may be quite high.

An object of our invention is to provide a de vice which will meet allthe above requirements.

A further object is to provide such a device which will be simplein'construction so as to be inexpensive to fabricate, certain inoperation, and rugged.

Various other objects and advantages will readily occur to those skilledin the art as the description proceeds.

In the drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment of ourinvention:

liig.` 1 represents a vertical sectional view of a device embodying ourinvention, together with 35 a fragmentary portion of the top wall of acell on which it is mounted, and

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of a gas tube forming a part of thedevice, the view being taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig- 40ure 1.

The numeral lo represents a portion of the top wall of an electrolyticcell used for the production of a gas such as chlorine or the like andhaving an opening 12 therein. This opening may be provided with anannular shoulder 13, and seated within the opening and abutting againstthe shoulder 13 is a tubular member 15. This member is preferably ofglass `and may conveniently be formed by removing the bottom from abottle or a jar of the Mason type or the like. Disposed around thetubular member 15 is gas sealing material 18 which may be of putty orany other suitable material for preventing the escape of gas from thecell into the atmosphere.

Arranged in the neck 19 of the tubular member l5 is a substantiallycylindrical housing member 21, gas sealing material 22 being providedbetween the member V21 and the neck 19, which in this case may be rubberor friction tape or any other suitable material. Seated Within the lowerend of the 'tubular housing 21 is aY closure member 24, which may be arubber stopper or the like, having a substantially central bore in whichis frictionally disposed a tubing section 26. The upper end cf thetubular housing 21 seats a similar stopper 28 preferably formed ofrubber and bored to frictionally receive a tubular conduit 30.

Loosely slidable Within the tubular section 26, so as to leave anannular space 3l therebetween, is a valve stem 32 which is preferablytubular as shown, but may be a solid rod if so desired, this stemcarrying at its upper extremity a valve member 35. This valve member ispreferably formed integrally with the stem 32 and comprises a portion 3Swhich is approximately conical except that its walls are curved more orless hyperbolical. Depending from the portion 36 is a substantiallyannular portion 38 defining an annular space 39 between the portion 38and the stein 32. It will be noted that the end of the inlet tube 30 isflanged over as at 40 so as to provide a seat for the valve portion 36,and this valve portion is preferably ground so as to provide a verynarrowseat. Preferably the angle of contact between the valve portion 36and its seat 40 is not greater than 45 from the vertical.

Frictionally secured to the lower end of the valve stem 32 is a boredstopper 42 preferably formed of rubber or the like and seated Within theneck 43 of a hollow float member 45.

The stopper 24 is also bored to frictionally seat a tube 43. This tubeis preferably bent away from the valve stem adjacent its lower portionas indicated at 49, and at its upper portion is reversely curved as at50, the upper terminal portion being preferably bent toward the tubularsection 26 and preferably having its edge 52 cut obliquely to the axisof the tube.

The float member 45, the tubular members 15, 48, 26 and 30, the valvestem`32 and parts carried thereby and the housing 21 are all preferablymade of glass, since this material is unaffected by chlorine andfurthermore facilitates observation of the operation.

It is believed that the method of operation of the device will be clearfrom what has gone before. The feed tube 30 will conduct the brine intothe chamber formed by the housing member 21, flowing over theumbrella-like valve member 35, which Will shield the tubular section 26so as to prevent liquid from entering therein. The tube 48 will conductthe brine out of the housing 21 at a substantially constant rate andwill thus induce gas to flow from the cell up through the annular space31 and into the housing 21. As a result, this gas will be mixed with thebrine within the chamber 2l and Will cause the liquid to flow from thetube 48 in a highly aerated or bubbly form. At the same time, the floatwill tend to keep the liquid level Within the cell substantiallyconstant.

Obviously, it will be impossible for current to travel into the cellfrom the feed line or vice versa, since there will never be a continuouscolumn of liquid extending from the feed line into the cell.

Various modifications and variations Will readily occurto those skilledin the art Without departing from the spirit of our invention, and henceWe do not Wish to be limited to the particular embodiment shown or usesmentioned except as set forth in the appended claims, which are to beinterpreted as broadly as is consistent with the state of the art.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a device of the class described and in combination with a cellclosure, a housing arranged above said closure and having a liquid inlettherein, a oat extending through said closure and into said housing, avalve carried by said float and adapted to close said inlet, said devicehaving a passage for gas into said housing from the cell and a passagefor liquid from said housing into the cell, and means controlling theflow of liquid through said last-mentioned passage v whereby said liquidwill be aerated.

z. In a device of the class described and in combination with a cellclosure, a housing arranged above said closure and having a liquid inlettherein, a iloat extending through said closure and into said housing, avalve carried by said ioat and adapted to close said inlet, said devicehaving a passage for gas into said housing from the cell and a passagefor liquid from said housing into the cell, and means also carried bysaid float for preventing the entrance of liquid into said gas passage.

3. In a device of the class described and in combination with a cellclosure, a housing arranged above said closure and having a liquid inlettherein, a float loosely slidable through said closure so as to permitthe passage of gas into said housing from the cell, a valve carried bysaid float and adapted to close said inlet, said device having a passagefor liquid from said housing into the cell.

4. In a device of the class described and in combination with a cellclosure, a housing arranged above said closure and having a liquid inlettherein, a float loosely slidable through said closure so as to permitthe passage of gas into said housing from the cell, a valve carried bysaid float and adapted to close said inlet, and shielding means carriedby said float for preventing the escape of liquid adjacent said float,said device having a passage for liquid from said housing into the cell.

5. In a device of the class described and in combination with a cellclosure, a housing arranged above said closure and having a liquid inlettherein, a oat extending through said closure and into said housing, atubular member loosely journaling said float to permit passage of gastherebetween, a valve carried by said float and adapted to close saidinlet, means also carried by said float and shielding the upper end ofsaid tubular member from liquid, and means for conducting liquid fromsaid housing into the cell.

6. In a device of the class described and in combination With a cellclosure, a housing arranged above said closure and having a liquid inlettherein, a float extending through said closure and into said housing, atubular member loosely journaling said iioat to permit passage of gastherebetween, a valve carried by said oat and adapted to close saidinlet, an annular depending member encompassing said tubular member soas to prevent the entrance of liquid into the latter, and means forconducting liquid from said housing into the cell.

'7.- In combination With a device as described in claim l, a transparenttubular member for supporting said housing in elevated position above acell whereby the operation of the feed may be observed.

8. In a device of the class described and in combination with a cellclosure, a housing arranged above said closure and having a liquid inlettherein, a float extending through said closure and into said housing, atubular member loosely journaling said float so as to permit the passageof gas therebetween, a valve carried by said iloat and adapted to closesaid inlet, and tubular means for conducting liquid from said housinginto the cell, said tubular means being so designed as to facilitate thewithdrawal of a gas and liquid mixture from said housing.

9. In a device of the class described, a valve housing formed of asubstantially straight section of tubing, a resilient stopper having abore therein closing the inlet end of said housing, an inlet tubeextending through said bore and terminating in the upper portion of saidhousing, and a conical valve member reciprocable longitudinally of saidhousing and cooperating with said valve seat, means for introducing gasto said housing from an electrolytic cell, and means for conductingliquid from said housing to said cell and aerating the same Within thehousing.

10. In a device of the class described, a valve housing formed of asubstantially straightrsection of tubing, a resilient stopper having abore therein closing the inlet end of said housing, an inlet tubeextending through said bore and terminating in the upper portion of saidhousing, the terminal edge thereof being ground to provide a valve seat,and a valve member reciprocable longitudinally of said housing andco-operating with said valve seat, said valve member being substantiallyconical and curved to represent substantially a hyperbolic seat-engagingsurface, means for introducing gas to said housing from an electrolyticcell, and means for` conducting liquid irom said housing to said celland aerating the same Within the housing.

11. In a device of the class described and in combination with anelectrolytic cell, a housing, inlet means for supplying electrolytethereto, Valve means controlled by the level of liquid in said cell andco-operating with said inlet means for controlling the dischargeAthereof, means for combination with an electrolytic cell, a housing,

inlet means for supplying electrolyte thereto,

valve means controlled by the level of liquid in said cell andco-operating with said inlet means for controlling the dischargethereof, means assoeiated with said valve means for introducing gas intosaid housing from said cell, and means for discharging aeratedelectrolyte from said housing to said cell.

13. A device as defined in claim 11 wherein said housing is providedwith a closure member for separating it from an electrolytic cell andwherein said valve means comprises a valve member and a stem looselyslidable through said closure member, whereby gas may pass adjacent saidstem from the cell into said housing.

14. A device as dened in claim 1l wherein said housing is provided witha closure member for separating it from an electrolytic cell and whereinsaid valve means comprises a valve member and a stem loosely slidablethrough said closure member, whereby gas may pass adjacent said stemfrom the cell into said housing, said valve member being provided withmeans to prevent passage of liquid into the cell around said valve stem.

' 15. A device as dened in claim 11 wherein said housing is providedwith a closure member for separating it from an electrolytic cell andwherein said valve means comprises a valve member and a stem looselyslidable through said closure member, whereby gas may pass adjacent saidstem from the cell into said housing, said valve member being providedwith means to prevent passage of liquid into the cell around said valvestem, and wherein the means for conducting liquid from the housing intothe cell comprises a tube, the intake end of which is beveled tofacilitate aeration of the liquid which is conducted therethrough.

FRANK G. WHEELER. HAROLD H. HELLER.

